Clothes-line prop.



G. A. TAYLOR.

CLOTHES LINE PROP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I. 1914.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

onoaen atraen TAYLOR, or NEWARK, CALIFORNIA.

CLOTHES-LINE PROP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led May 1, 1914. Serial No. 835,676.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it lnown that l, GEORGE ALFRED TAY- Lon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Clothes- Line Props, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for supporting clothes lines to prevent the clothes becoming soiled by coming into contact with the ground, and has for its primary object to provide simple, inexpensive and effective means to support a clothes line in a reliable and effective manner.

An object of importance is to provide a device of the character described that is designed to clamp the clothes line so that falling of the prop in high winds and sliding thereof relative to the line is prevented.

another important object of my invention is to provide adjustable clamping means that may be readily attached to a pole or stick to provide a prop and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out as claimed.

With reference to the drawing, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding1 parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing my improved device attached to one end of a pole, and Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference the numeral 1 designates a pole or stick to which is secured my impro-ved prop designated 2 as an entirety.

The prop comprises a substantially lU- shaped member having one side formed by a bar 3, which has its lower end provided with an opening 4; through which suitable fastening means 5 are adapted to pass to secure the bar 3 to the pole 1, as shown in F ig. 1. The upper end of the bar 3 extends a suitable distance above the adjacent terminal of the pole 1 and has its upper terminal diverged, as shown at 6. The opposite side of the U-shaped member is formed by a rod 7, which is bent intermediate its ends to provide a horizontal portion 3, which extends in the direction of the bar 3, one end of the bar 2' projecting downwardly from the portion 3 and connected to the bar 3 by means of fastening elements 10, the said ond of the bar 7 terminally engaging the adjacent end of the pole 1. The bar 7 has its opposite end extended upwardly from the horizontal portion 8, as shown at 11, and is terminally bent, as shown at 12, in diverging relation to the terminal 6 of the bar 3.

As a means for clamping a clothes line I provide a spring metal plate 13 that is secured intermediate its ends, as at 14, to the divergent portion 12 of the arm 11 and eX- tends inwardly in an angle between the bar 3 and arm 11 to provide a clamping jaw 15. The upper end of the spring plate 13 is diverged with relation to the portion 6 of the bar 3 so as to provide a large entrance for the space between the bar 3 and arm 11.

As a means for adjusting the jaw 15 l provide an adjusting screw 16 that is adjustably mounted within the arm 11 and with its inner end engages the jaw 15. A nut 17 is mounted upon the screw 16 at a point between the arm 11 and the screw. By adjusting the screw 16 the jaw 15 is moved toward and away from the opposite portion of the bar 3.

In operation the clothes line is placed between the jaw 15 and the opposing portion of the bar 3 and is wedged in such position until severe clamping action is effected and the line will be supported in a reliable manner.

lt will be readily seen with reference to the foregoing description and accompanying drawing that I provide a simple and inexpensive device that will suppcrt a clothes line in such a way that falling of the line is prevented.

ln practice, l have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawing and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most eiiicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, lY desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be re- Patented Dec. 28, i915. f

sorted to, when required, without saeriicing any of the advantages of my invention, as

. set forth.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

A clothes line prop comprising a support, a substantially .ll-shaped member mounted on thesupport and adapted to receive the clothes line, the upper terminals of the sides of the U-shaped member being extended in diverging relation to each other, a resilient plate carried by one of the sides of the U- ,shaped members and having one end overlying and extending parallel to the adjacent terminal of the side, fastening means extending through the plate and through the said adjacent terminal of the side, said plate having its opposite end extending down- Copies of this patent may be obtained for wardly and between the sides of the U- shaped member and arranged in spaced relation to the said sides, and adjustable means carried by the U-shaped member and extending through the side carrying the plate and adapted to engage the downwardly extending end of the said plate, the said adjustable means being adapted when operated in one direction to move the said downwardly extending end of the plate in the direction of the opposite side of the U-shaped member, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof l alix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE ALFRED TAYLOR. Titnesses z B. J. GRAHAM, M. S. AMARAL.

ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

